Take-away: "They both expressed nearly the same position on foreign policy, I think. But under the current administration I don't think they've accomplished a heck of a lot, and I'd like to see somebody new attempt it."

Westyn Narvaez, 22, human resources coordinator at The Crucible, an industrial arts center school in Oakland.

Winner: Obama

Before the debate: Obama

After the debate: Obama

Take-away: "I just think Obama was more aggressive, and he was really good in describing his foreign policy as commander-in-chief over the last four years. During the whole debate, Romney was agreeing with the president on a lot of topics. I thought it was interesting when he was saying that Romney is stuck in older policies, in the '50s, 1920s and '80s. That was my favorite part. It just showed how Mitt kind of wants to bring us back to policies of the past, and that's not what we should want to be doing."

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John Lund, 19, member of Santa Clara University debate class.

Winner: Neither

Before the debate: Romney

After the debate: Romney or Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

Take-away: "I felt this debate went off track a lot. I was disappointed with Romney today because he seemed to be saying the same things over and over again. Hearing those same key phrases -- those sound bytes -- was really frustrating for me. Both sides did it, but I was hoping tonight Romney would be stronger and would explain, for example, which tax loopholes he's going to close.''

Mariel Cruz, 23, recent SCU graduate in political science and history.

Winner: Obama

Before the debate: Obama

After: Obama

Take-away: "I thought it was a good debate and Obama's experience in foreign policy helped him out a lot. He just seemed to more on top of foreign policy than Romney did. Romney did OK, but his answers were often off-target and he kept going back to job creation and the deficit, even though the debate was supposed to be about foreign policy.''

Sue Gerson, 83, resident of the Rossmoor retirement community in Walnut Creek

Winner: Obama

Before the debate: Obama

After the debate: Obama

Take-away: "Romney was not in depth at all about his ideas. It's all sort of surface. He doesn't know. He doesn't have the advantage of being president. Obama could speak more knowledgeably. Romney just read the headlines."